MANILA – Jaja Santiago and Saitama Ageo Medics bounced back with a 25-27, 25-21, 25-15, 25-22 win over Hisamitsu Springs in the 2021-22 Japan V.League Division 1 women’s tournament at the Panasonic Arena in Osaka.
The former National University Lady Bulldogs standout had a better showing with 11 points, on eight attacks and three blocks, as the Ageo Medics hiked its win-loss record to 4-4 on Sunday.
Brazilian import Lorenne Teixeira had a season-best 26 points, on 23 attacks, two service aces and a block, while Mami Uchiseto and Yuka Sato tallying 18 points apiece for Saitama.
The victory served as a bounce back for Santiago and the Ageo Medics after being defeated by Springs on Saturday evening, 25-22, 25-23, 25-21. The Filipino import was limited to just seven points.
Asuka Hamamatsu and Yuka Imamura finished the game with 13 points each while Miyu Nakagawa chimed in 12 markers. The Springs suffered its second defeat in eight matches.
In the men’s division, Marck Espejo scored a twin kill over fellow Filipino import Bryan Bagunas as the FC Tokyo walloped Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler, 25-18, 25-20, 25-23, on Saturday night.
Espejo, a former Spikers’ Turf’s Most Valuable Player awardee, tallied 11 points, on eight attacks, two blocks and a service ace Tokyo notched its second straight win for a 2-6 win-loss slate.
Bagunas, on the other hand, struggled with his offense. He scored only a point as Weisse Adler suffered its seventh consecutive defeat to drop to last place with 1-7 record.
On Friday evening, Espejo and FC Tokyo also defeated Bagunas and Weisse Adler in straight sets, 25-17, 25-18, 25-22, at the Oita City Osu General Gymnasium in Oita Prefecture.
Espejo scored 11 points, on seven attacks, three blocks and a service ace, for FC Tokyo in that game, while Bagunas managed to only drill two attacks for the Oita Miyoshi./PN
